Organization: Fresher Together

Born and raised in eastern North Carolina, Fresh is a transplant to the Midwest now calling Illinois home. An engineering and physics nerd turned farming chef, they have professionally studied cooking in Thailand and the US working in the kitchens of Google and Facebook. But their community-based edible activism among communities of color, elders, queer folx, and youth is where their heart most deeply resides.

Grandchild to sharecroppers, her connection to land started early. Long-time grower and beginning farmer, Fresh is working to transform & expand racial equity in the Regional Grain Economy and make quality local food accessible to her community.

Fresh, dedicated to community well-being, is a proud 8 year board member of Howard Brown Health, one of the nations largest LGBTQ organizations. She is fighting for accessible quality affirming health care for all, centering BIPOC, queer, GNC, trans, and fat folks. She is deeply passionate about food programming being commonplace in healthcare, as well as healthcare free of body shaming, honoring the principles of H.A.E.S (Health At Every Size).

Fresh is the Director of Chicago Bread Club and founder of Fresher Together. Fresher Together is a collaborative food and farming project for healing, economic development, training, and retreat. From soil to humans, they create nourishing food and spaces that are restorative and support well-being. They currently farm urban and rural land in the city of Chicago and North Iroquois county.

Fresh was a Stone Barns Center Regenerative Farming Fellow, currently serves on the Chicago Mayor’s Food Equity Council, and is a founding collaborator Chef of the Farm Food Familias Mutual Aid Project. Outside of food, Fresh was named by Crain’s Chicago Business as a 2021 Notable LGBTQ Executive and supports development for the Transformative Justice Law Project.